Life’s Hourglass
by I-love-Alphonse
Summary: Alphonse, Edward, and there friend Sakura are staying in a dead town. This town may hold the secret to gettings Al's body back, but it may also be killing Ed and Sakura. The river there holds the secret. Al x OC. AlXOC AlphonsexOC
1. Ch1 Rutilus the Red Town

"Life's like an hourglass glued to the table…" -Anna Nalick

.:Life's Hourglass:.

[Chapter 1: Rutilus the Red Town

Awake.

Rain.

"…Ed…ED!"

"Wh-what?" A muffled sounding Ed said from under the covers.

Alphonse stood up and clanked towards Edward.

He shook Ed frantically. "I was zoning out and I think she left."

"…" Ed was silent for a bit, he plopped his head back down into his pillow again, "She's fine, Al."

Al was silent for a moment.

"I'm going." He turned towards the door of the small hotel cabin.

"I don't see why." Ed groaned.

Al opened the door and stepped out.

Alive, walking, awake.

Hard, red, stinging, rain.

Among the dark, clanking footsteps and rain could be heard. "This town…" Al thought, "Is…just not right, I can tell why Sakura wants to leave soon…"

Al surveyed the scene. He could only see black, except for a few street lamps that lit a few spots of the stone walkways.

This town, in which its name was Rutilus (Latin for red) fit it perfectly. Covered in strange piping and iron buildings all rusting, all red. The river, once natural, was now changed by man. The river damned into channels, and those channels into more channels, all collecting rust. Even the water here flowed red. Red. Red.

The iron buildings were filled with old Alchemists and old Scientists. Dumping whatever they could into this river, making it toxic. The rain here, when it fell…

Would burn your skin if you touched it.

Would smell of death and alchemy.

You would not want to be caught in it.

"Sakura!" Al yelled, "Sakura!" He had to find her; this rain could really hurt her.

Among this town, he was the only one safe going out in this rain.

"Sakura, where are you?!"

Alphonse and his Brother had known Sakura for about two years now; they had met her when Ed had entered the State Alchemist exam.

She was a well kept secret.

She was the Colonel Roy Mustang's younger sister.

Breathing, panting, stumbling, falling, dieing?

Hard, red, smelly, burning, frightening, rain…

In the distance, under the sheltering light of a street lamp, lay a huddled black mass.

"Sakura!" Al quickly ran over as fast as he could.

He flipped Sakura over, her face that of a sleeping child. She wasn't conscious.

Al didn't know what to do, so he quickly, scooped her up in his arms. He tried his best to shelter her as he ran back to the hotel cabin.

They had come to this town for one reason, the Philosopher's stone. It was here, it would work. This town would bring Al's body back.

Sakura's crimson eyes flicked open.

"…A-Al?" Her hands reached out into the blackness of night and stumbled around blindly.

"…A-Al?!" She said raising her voice a little.

A light flicked on as a voice said, "What is it?"

Alphonse stood in the door way of the bathroom; Ed was in the bathroom washing his face.

"W-…What happened?" Sakura held her head, as if holding back a headache.

"You went sleep-walking." Al said gently.

"I slept…walked?" She answered back slowly, "R-Really?"

Ed turned off the facet, "You gave me quite a scare when Al came bursting in with you in his arms." Ed chuckled.

Al looked embarrassed, even though it was hard to tell with the body that he had.

"…I…uh…I feel dizzy…" Sakura sat back down into her pillow.

Al paused, "You got exposed to that crazy rain."

"We can finally walk outside again though," Ed said blankly, "The two day rain streak has stopped." Ed dried his face.

Al looked over at his brother, Ed looked back and then at Sakura.

"We're going to investigate the abandoned factory on the west side," Ed started, "We got some good leads to there. It's pretty far away…can you handle being alone?"

Ed said snickering at the fact the she had slept-walked.

"I…think…" Sakura said turning her head slightly towards the window. She felt horrible.

"Are you sure?" Al said walking towards Sakura and placing a friendly hand on her head.

She smiled softly, "Hmm…it's tempting to keep you two here." Sakura said and laughed.

Edward came walking over at that moment. Examining Sakura, he pointed at her bare arms.

"You see what it did there?" Edward said coolly, "It started to burn you, you're lucky Al got there when he did."

Sakura blushed, "I-I know!"

Al looked at Ed, Sakura pouted a bit.

"I appreciate Al! Alphonse is very important to me!" Sakura blushed a bit more at this. She rubbed her arms.

Edward laughed.

"Yeah yeah!" He said waving his hand as he walking towards the front door, "We know, we know!" Ed chuckled again, only making Sakura's face hotter and redder.

"E-Ed! Stop saying mean things!" Al turned to the direction of Ed and moved his hands a bit in front of him.

Edward just laughed some more and opened the door a bit, he put on his iconic crimson jacket and said, "Come'on Al, lets go."

"Alright, hold on a sec." Alphonse turned to Sakura again and gave her a pat on the head, "Stay in bed, alright?" She nodded.

"I will, be careful you two."

Ed grunted a bit and Al nodded, they both left the cabin. They were staying in an old, to what the looks of it, was an old cabin like building. It was surprising still working and everything inside was in good condition. It was small though, with a big window that Sakura could see out of when she sat in her bed.

The sun was now shining it.

In any other town the sun would be happy, but in this town even if it was sunny; the town was still dead.

Sakura shivered a bit, she hated this town.

She had been born in a small city called Memore.

Memore was a town with no military office, so many retired military soldiers and scientist's lived there. The largest building was the library, at four stories tall. The large almost city town was surrounded by a gigantic forest and when the Colonel and her sister were young they lived on the outskirts of town in the forest in a two story house with a tire swing in the backyard. Sakura's father was a military hero for many years; he had many connections to the Fuhur King Bradley. Her mother, Elizabella Mustang, was once the assistant to King Bradley. They fell in love, and when Stephen found out that she was pregnant with their first child he quit and moved to Memore where Roy was born.

Many years later Sakura was born. She could still remember all the people who would come to her house and beg her father to come back, but he refused. He taught them basic Alchemy, but mostly they had their own hobbies. Sakura liked to draw, and she was very good at it, and well…Roy liked to…woo girls.  
One day the Fuhur came to their house for a visit and gave Roy a box. Inside were his flame gloves and a note that said, "Soon enough you will learn how to use these."  
Sakura got a little jealous and begged her Dad to give her his old flame gloves and he did. She wore them everyday, except for when she slept, and promised her Dad to never use they unless she really need to, same for Roy.

Then one night, August 16, it happened…  
An armed man had snuck into their house; he had a deep unknown grudge against Sakura's father. He had both Elizabella and Stephen tied up, he hadn't noticed Roy or Sakura. Hidden in the darkness of the hallway Roy ran back to his room and grabbed his gloves.  
Sakura pleaded him no but he pushed her aside and held his hand up to the assassin.  
Sakura ran in front of her brother and spread out her arms to stop. Roy's eyes were shut tight.

Roy snapped his finger.

Instantly the assassin was burned beyond recognition. He had killed his parents as well, and Sakura, she had just simply caught to flames and fallen to the floor. Quickly he ran to the bathroom and drenched Sakura in water. The house was on fire, Roy remembered something he had read in one of his Father's Alchemy book that he had wrote. Roy drew a gigantic transmutation circle on the floor with four corners. He dragged one body to each corner but found out he was one body sort. He quickly ran outside and saw a black dog walking by. He cornered the dog and dragged him inside still yelping, he was running out of time, Sakura was fading fast. He put the dog on the last corner.  
Roy put his hands down.

When Sakura came to, it was like she had woken up from a very long sleep. She saw her brother pasted out and the house in flames, she grabbed Roy and what was left of there belongs and dragged them outside. She walked down the road to town until she collapsed.

They woke up in Central; apparently the Fuhur was going to visit them again, and found them collapsed in the road. Roy told Sakura everything. They both cried for a very long time. When Sakura finally looked in a mirror, she had small black dog ears and a tail. Her eyes went from hazel to crimson, the pigments in the dogs eyes mixed with hers to make the color; she had bigger canine teeth too.

In the end Roy joined the military to keep it all under wraps and Sakura was given special privileges to stay with him if she continued to study Alchemy and help State Alchemist study for the exam.  
They never really wondered how or why it worked, but it did because of their Father's book, it truly saved them. Sakura knows something was taken from her but she doesn't speak of it to the brother's, but she told them her story because she felt she could trust them. It's one of the reason's she doesn't grow very tall though.

Sakura was a chimera, she knew that.

She was a rare chimera at that; she aged she grew and still lived.

Sakura slumped down into her sheets, she thought of the Brother's. They have done a lot for her and she knew that.

She was very fond of them. In fact you might say that she 'loved' them. But in a totally brother-sister way or at least with Ed it was.

She picked at the sheets with one her pointer finger and thumb.

Sakura rolled over and pulled the covers over herself and tried to fall asleep.

[Author's Notes

Holy god, it's been a long time since I wrote a fic. This is based off a dream I had once about me and Al and Ed and we went to this strange town and it was scary. I was constantly chased by a dog and I yelled for Alphonse the whole time, I think Ed saved me or something eventually.

So hope this one goes well, and on a last note, I'd like to say that I think I am a good Al fan girl cause I love him even as armor. VV


	2. Ch2 Shatter

.:Life's Hourglass:.

[Chapter 2: Shatter

Scratching.

Sakura sits up in her bed a little bit, sore. "Al…?" She said dazed.

A shadow cast over her in the bed from the window. Scratch scratch scratch. Shivers went down Sakura's spine, she almost screamed as she turned towards the window.

Paralyzed with fear, she stared right back into a horrid gigantic beast will huge red eyes. It towered hulking and covered in fur on the opposite side of the window, scratching.

Sakura knew if she screamed something would happen, something bad.

It stared at her, a not so human thing but more like a combination of things; almost a monster.

"Chimera…" Sakura whispered. She realized that one day she could end up like that, a soulless chunk of angry animal.

Slowly as she could she put one foot out of the bed, she wanted to hide. The animal made a quick movement with its head.

Sakura froze.

The animal drooled a bit, and kept its eyes on Sakura.

She couldn't handle the pressure and—

"AAAAAHHHHH!!!!"

She screamed.

The monster, enraged, burst through the window unto the bed. The glass shattered all over the bed, it ran towards Sakura.

She quickly opened the front door and ran as fast as she could through the wet grass and past empty sidewalks and burnt out street lamps.

"ED!!" She screamed, "AL!!!"

The thing ran after her, lugging its huge body making horrible clumping noises as it walked. It barked, it squawked; it was frightening.

"EDWARD!!" She screamed, "ALPHONSE, HELP ME!!" She ran and yelled until she was almost out of breath and energy.

The thing was catching up; it was going to get her.

"SAKURA!!" A familiar voice, called. Ed and Al were standing by an old building when Sakura saw them.

"Ed-Al—" She said almost collapsing, she ran towards them barefooted.

The thing saw then, and kept running.

"W-What is that thing?!" Ed yelled as he alchemically changed his automail arm to a blade.

"I-I dunno brother!" Al said as he caught Sakura coming towards him.

The thing lunged at them and its mouth was caught in Ed's arm, he held it back. Al put aside Sakura and gave a swift kick to the animal so it fell back. Edward clapped his hands and the ground enveloped the thing so it was trapped to the ground, barking and squawking.

"It…looks like it was animals once." Sakura said softly, "I think it died, in the river maybe with other animals, and was made…into this."

The river here was man-made; it was red and flowing straight through the river. It had claimed many lives. It was part of the mystery of this town.

It was where most of the stuff the scientist and alchemist here dumped. This town was concrete mostly everywhere except for some patches of grass. It was a flat place, and abandoned.

Its only purpose was for research, but it was abandoned.

The river was why the rain here was so crazy and hurt people.

But this place, this land this evil land as it was.

Would do something good, they all knew it was how Al was going to get his body back and Ed his limbs back. They knew.

They weren't sure how, but they felt it.

"The river must be so alchemically changed by philosopher's stone it can make bodies even." Ed looked towards the huge red river, "This is the key."

Al looked at Sakura, "You're not hurt are you?"

"My feet are stinging."

She had stepped in the red rain grass.

"Oh!" Al sounded worried.

"Pick me up!" Sakura loved it when Al picked her up, because she was still kind of like a kid. She loved how Al was so much bigger than her.

"Alright…" Al put his hands under Sakura's shoulders and picked her up so she could get a sort of piggy back right.

"What are you going to do with it?" Sakura said resting her head on Al's head.

"I think we might have to kill it." Said Ed blankly.

"Kill it? No way brother!"

"Al, look at it, it'll die anyway. We have to kill it." Edward looked at Al.

Sakura's dog ears pointed down worried.

She closed her eyes and she heard a loud squawk and a splatter.

[Author's Notes

Yay, short chapter. Short chapters are easier on the reader and writer I think. So yes, I came up with this in a dream, and remember this is a fic so it might be a little crazy how they get there bodies back and stuff. But I've got some cool ideas so hang tight with me, love ya'll and keep on going on.


	3. Ch3 Cold

.:Life's Hourglass:.

[Chapter 3: Cold

Al, Ed, and Sakura were making there way back to the hotel cabin.

Ed looked up at Sakura, "Your feet are all burned up you know."

"Yeah I know."

Ed laughed a bit, he thought Sakura was an idiot sometimes and relied too much on Al; but other then that Edward thought she was pretty okay.

He couldn't hate someone who cared for his little brother in such a good way. He could tell that she really made Al happy. Also that him being armor didn't affect Sakura at all, he thought maybe she actually liked that Alphonse was that way a bit. Ed smirked it off.

"Ed, don't be mean to Sakura, what else was she gonna do? She doesn't wear her gloves in her sleep you know." Alphonse protested.

"Hm, she could have grabbed them if she wanted to." Ed paused, "It wouldn't have done anything anyway, and she takes to long to use them. Roy can do his much faster."

"That's because my technique is much different! My father's transmutation circles are simple but effective; they have to touch first to work!" Sakura said, a bit annoyed.

She rubbed the back of her hands together to show how her gloves worked.

Ed waved his hand a bit, "Whatever, even then you're still a bit useless."

"ED!" Al said angry.

Sakura placed her chin on the top of Al's head, ears folded down. She looked down trying to avoid Ed's gaze.

"I…I'm sorry." She whispered.

Alphonse shook his head a bit.

Edward opened the door to the hotel cabin, "Oh god…"

The glass from the window had shattered all over the now wretched beyond fixing with alchemy bed. The window was pretty much gone now; and the wall had taken major damage, but through it they could see black clouds.

"Rain." Sakura whispered."

"We have the fix the wall, quickly." Al said putting Sakura down where there was no glass.

Ed helped Al transmute a wall back where the window had been. It had a much smaller window now so they could see what the weather was like. But now there was only one bed.

Ed groaned, he knew that Sakura would have to sleep in his bed tonight. That disgusted him a bit; he could imagine her whining for Al.

"Al, Al, I'm cold!" Ed thought.

Edward sighed and headed towards the bathroom. The town's people before had made it so the plumbing of the houses weren't effected by the red river or the rain. So it was alright to wash with and drink the water from the plumbing.

"I'm gonna shower." Ed said sounding annoyed. He didn't like sharing a bed. Mostly because he still didn't know fully what to think of Sakura.

They had met her when Ed had entered the State Alchemist Exam in central, she was nice. "She still is nice." Ed thought.

"Alright." Alphonse said.

Edward shut the door and Sakura looked up at all, ears all folded down.

"Hm, Ed's mad at me. I don't like it." She paused, "I really would like to earn his respect, you know."

Al placed his hand on Sakura's head, "He does, I just don't think he realizes it."

Sakura gave a small smile.

"I'd glad you're here." She said.

"W-" Al paused, "What is that supposed to mean?"

Sakura gave a little chuckle, "I'm glad you're alive Al. I'm glad that you are here."

Alphonse scruffed up Sakura's ears and hair, embarrassed.

"Move, stop taking up space!"

"I-I'm not!"

Ed pushed Sakura bit in the bed, so she was on the edge of the other side.

"Get." He said.

Sakura turned over to look at Ed, "Why are you so mad?"

Alphonse wasn't in, he decided since it started to rain and Ed and Sakura were going to sleep that he would go search around town a bit more.

Ed didn't say anything, just gave a glare.

"I-I didn't DO anything!" Sakura said trying to defend herself. She didn't want Ed mad at her, because if he was mad at her then she couldn't see Al.

Ed glared some more and then gave a sigh, he turned so he wasn't looking towards Sakura.

"What if something really bad had happened to you?" Ed paused, "How would Al have been able to go on afterwards?"

Sakura blushed hard.

"You keep getting in trouble and your life is on the line. Stop being an idiot or you'll end up hurting Al." Ed stated, "And I know you don't want that."

"I-I don't…" Sakura turned over so Ed and hers back were facing.

The covers didn't cover her bare cold feet or her arms that were freezing. Ed kept them on his side. "Punishment?" She thought.

"I don't want to hurt Al."

Sakura feel asleep, cold.

[Author's Notes

Hey ya'll, I'll try to update as often as I can! But it seems that it will be a bit harder for awhile! I've been watching FMA again (lol all DVD's I have them! XD) and of course I cry. Man, I hate Kimbly so much! And Archer! I hate those guys! D:

So hoped you enjoyed this chapter! I hate falling asleep cold! I try to keep the chapters short you know!

I hope Sakura isn't Mary-sue-ish. cries I don't want her to be. I like the feel of this fic, I feel like I'm doing good! THANKS ALL!!


	4. Ch4 Jealous

.:Life's Hourglass:.

[Chapter 4: Jealous

Alphonse opened the door to the hotel cabin quietly, as not to wake up Ed or Sakura.

He looked at them in Edward's bed, a bit jealous.

"It's so sad…" Al thought, "Why couldn't that be me, or something?"

He shook those thoughts away. No time to be thinking about crushes or l-

"No no." Al said quietly to himself.

Denial.

Denial.

Denial.

Those word's kept repeating in his head, taunting him.

He looked at his brother; he had stolen all the covers. Sakura was sleeping, but she was shivering.

She was going to have nightmares if she was cold all night.

Al clunked over to Edward as quite as he could.

"Brother." He shook Ed softly, "Brother."

"W-What?" Ed said his face stuffed in a pillow.

"Give some of those cover's, Sakura looks cold." Al sounded concerned.

"Al, Al, I'm cold." Ed thought again.

"Screw that, I'm…too tired…" Ed pulled some covers over his face.

"ED!" Al said loudly and he didn't realize it.

Sakura shook awake a bit, "Al…?" She said confused.

"Ah, sorry Sakura."

She sat up a bit, she was shivering still. The hotel cabin wasn't very warm tonight, Al could tell.

"Are you cold?" Al said, glaring over at Ed a bit through his eyes.

It was enough that he thought his brother was trying to make him feel jealous. But another thing when your just being an ass.

"Al, Al, I'm cold." Sakura said softly, shivering.

Ed chuckled under the sheets.

"But, I'll be fine." She placed herself back down on the bed. She closed her eyes a bit.

"Why is she being that way?" Al thought, "She's cold, so why doesn't she want to get warm?"

Maybe she thought she was a burden.

Burden.

Burden.

Burden.

Those words kept repeating in her head, taunting her.

Alphonse grabbed some covers from Ed, there were two. So now Ed only had one blanket.

"Hey, give that back!" Ed said, angry.

"No way!" Al said, he usually wasn't this way to his brother, "Stop being so selfish and get over it! Were all friends so I don't understand why we have to be fighting like this!"

Ed was silent.

Sakura looked a bit confused at Al, "But I-"

"No," Al said, "Don't worry about it. We're all not going to fight anymore about accidents. They were accidents, they happen."

Sakura smiled a bit, "Yeah."

"Alright…" Ed said, reluctantly.

Alphonse put the blanket over Sakura; it felt good to do that.

She yawned and curled up inside of it, "Thanks, Alphonse." She said softly and closed her eyes.

Alphonse stroked her hair a bit.

He was a bit jealous of Ed, because he could sleep right next to Sakura and feel her warmth.

"Maybe I-" Al thought.

Denial.

Denial.

Love.

He thought, and it stuck to his mind.

[Author's Notes

Oh wow, another chapter! I am like puking these things out! I think something crazy is going to happen in the next chapter, I think! Sorry the story is going so slow! You know what I say, short chapters are easy on the Author and the reader, but like it makes the story longer! Ahaha, man. Well anyway, thanks again.


	5. Ch5 Connected Eyes

.:Life's Hourglass:.

Chapter 5: Connected Eyes

Edward gave a big stretch before sitting up in the cabin bed.

He rubbed the sleep from his eyes and headed to the bathroom to get ready for another day.

Sakura lazily still lay in the bed.

The covers were half over her head, "Al…" She grumbled, "You up?"

Alphonse was always awake; it was a horrible fact he had to face.

"Yeah." Al said back softly from across the room, "Sleep well?"

Sakura gave a little groan.

Al chuckled.

She pulled the covers off her face and looked at Alphonse and smiled, "Are we going out today, by the red river?"

"You mean the one that is surrounded by cement? The one that's overflowing?"

"Yeah, we should see what a flood does to the natural life here, it could give us a clue", Sakura said, "Right Ed?" She yelled to Edward in the bathroom.

"Yeah yeah." Ed replied, hardly caring as he was grumpy in the morning.

Sakura smiled.

Sakura put on a heavy coat and her shoes before heading out the door with Alphonse. Ed was going to stay indoors today, he didn't feel well.

They said their good-byes to Ed and closed the door behind them.

"Al, do you remember when we first met?" Sakura asked.

Al nodded, "Yeah it was back in central, about a year ago, right?"

"Yep, I think so." Sakura put a finger on her lip, "And it was when you guys came into my brother's office and weren't supposed to be there."

"Yeah, The Colonel was pretty annoyed at you for revealing yourself."

They both laughed a bit.

"Brother was always protective of me, but I liked it, you know? I dunno, I'm a bit shy so I kinda like people like that. You're like that you know?"

Sakura blushed a bit.

Al felt like he would too, if he could.

"Yeah." Al laughed a bit, "He's a good older brother to you, and he's taken good care of you I can tell."

"It makes me happy how; you kind of have the same relationship with your brother, Al."

Sakura paused, "Really happy."

She fidgeted a bit.

"Yeah, it makes me happy too." He pat Sakura on the head.

They continued to walk on the sidewalks to the "red river" as they called it. Alphonse was pretty huge compared to Sakura, but she didn't seem scared of him at all. She liked how big he was compared to him, made her feel safe.

Sakura intertwined her own fingers and let them rest in front of her while she walked, "We became good friends pretty instantly, don't you think?"

"Yeah, we were both pretty shy, I have to say," Al laughed, "But then once we both opened up it was like it just really clicked."

Sakura smiled.

"Yeah, we do…click" Sakura laughed, "Well you know, n-never mind."

Sakura looked away, "What am I thinking?" She thought, "Saying something like that? What's up with me? Jeez. Al's not…into that kind of thing."

Al looked at Sakura, "Is she…implying…?" He thought, "No, no defiantly not. Sakura's not into that kind of thing, yeah we're friends, yeah, friends!"

They reached the "red river" and sat on a bench near it, but not to near that they were touching where it flooded.

"It really is flooding." Al said.

"Yeah." Sakura replied.

"I'm worried about what this town is doing to you two." Al said looking over at Sakura, "This river; this thing, could really hurt you."

Sakura looked over the red river, "Well…"

"Well, it's worth it, to get your body back."

"Don't say things like that."

Sakura looked up at Al, "But…"

Alphonse reached his arm around Sakura's waist and brought her closer to him. She put her hands on were she was pressed near him. It felt good to be this close to Al, and under his arm. Sakura closed her eyes and rested there.

Alphonse stared at the red river, for a long long time.

They were there like this for a while.

"Hey Al…" Sakura said; her cheeks were full with blush.

Alphonse looked down at her; she was still huddled on him. She looked really cute, he thought.

"What is it?" Al said looking straight at her.

Connected eyes.

"Uhm…" Sakura couldn't say anything, she was too shy.

Al squeezed her tight again, making Sakura feel good. She traced little circles with her finger on Alphonse.

"Um…I think…" Sakura said cutely, still tracing circles.

"Eh?" Al said, their eyes still connected.

Sakura blushed even more, "Al…you'd still be my friend no matter what right?"

"Of course!" Al said happily.

"I think…" Sakura said, but she knew what she was about to say was true from the beginning, "That I love you."

Al sat silently, a bit shocked. He was happy but he didn't know what to say.

"Sakura…" Al said softly.

Sakura's eyes began to water a bit; she put her hand on her mouth and looked down. "I'm sorry, I knew that you…"

"OH!" Alphonse said, "No I didn't mean—"

"Sakura, I…think I feel that same." Al paused, "I love you."

Sakura's eyes lit up, that made Al feel good. She hugged Al as much as she could, him being way bigger than her and all.

For both of them, it felt like a big weight was lifted off there chests.

"I love you, I love you…" Sakura kept saying as she was nuzzling Al.

Alphonse held Sakura strong in his arms. It felt good to have her, finally.

There was a strong rushing noise.

"What's that?" Al said looking up towards the river.

Sakura screamed.

There was an almost tidal wave of red water coming towards them; fast.

"Sakura! GET OUT OF HERE!" Al yelled and pushed Sakura over the bench so she could start running.

"AL!" Sakura said looking back at Al.

"RUN!" Al said flowing behind Sakura.

Both of them started to run for their lives. The tidal wave came crashing down and as it was going to sweep them both away Al pushed Sakura up near a telephone pole and she grabbed onto it.

Alphonse was too late to grab, and huge strong waves pushed him away.

He struggled and was swept away by the Red River.

"ALPHONSE!!" Sakura yelled, "ALPHONSE!!"

Too late.

Al was gone into the river, down down stream.

Sakura got down from the pole and started to run along the concrete banks searching.

She screamed for Al until her throat was raw and dry and she could barely talk.

Her feet splashed in Red Water and they started to burn.

Al was swept away.

Alphonse.

Alphonse.

Where did you go?

Author's Notes

EEP! Sorry for not updating in a while! So yeah, you have to hold tight with me now, until the next chapter. Some maybe weird stuff is going to happen. (Not like Ed rapeage or anything, that would be just horrible) Oh, but they said they loved each other, yay! I hate stories were it just holds back the whole "I love you" thing like forever.

Also, some concept art if you're wondering what Sakura looks like: i7./albums/y269/DarkChibiShadow/sketches-1.png

Enjoy.


	6. Ch6 Growing Concern

.:Life's Hourglass:.

Chapter 6: Growing Concern

Sakura burst through the Hotel Cabin's doors.

"ED! ED!" Sakura said, uncontrollable sobbing.

"Whoa!" Edward said sitting up on the bed, "Sakura, Sakura calm down!"

She stumbled over to Ed, and fell on her knees by his feet.

Sakura put her head in her hands, "Al, Al is gone, Al is gone, gone, gone…" She sobbed more.

"Sakura, calm down, what are you talking about?" Ed said, now worried.

He put his left hand on Sakura's shoulder.

She sniffled and hic-ed hard, "M-Me and Al…w-where at the river, and…" She hic-ed again, "T-Then, t-there was this w-wave…and…Al…Al is gone!" She sobbed hard.

Ed sat there, shocked.

"Wh…you can't mean?"

She looked up at Ed, her face red from tears.

She looked utterly broken and sad.

Ed put his hand on his forehead in disbelief.

"Well…we got to go look for him!" He piped up.

"I…I did, I looked Ed! I looked for so long!" Sakura said.

Her feet were stingy and red from the water from the red river. Her voice was still raw from yelling so much.

Edward stood up and got a blanket from the bed and put it over Sakura.

"You're pretty messed up right now, so I'll go look for Al. You stay here and rest a bit." He said, actually sounding concerned.

"If I don't find him…we…we'll look tomorrow too." Ed said, as he opened the Hotel Cabin door.

"B-Be careful!" Sakura sniffed.

"Yeah." Ed said before running out the door.

Sakura was wrapped up in the blanket Ed has given her on the bed. She had cried pretty hard, and fell asleep.

Ed was laying next to her, with a small cover over him. His journey had been a failure.

Al was no where to be found.

Edward gave a pained groan, and clenched where his automail met his flesh suddenly.

He went into the bathroom to look at his shoulder.

"…!"

"S-Sakura, wake up! WAKE UP!"

Sakura woke with a start, "Ed…? W-What is it? Did you find Al?"

"C-Come see this!"

She walked into the bathroom with the blanket still on her.

Sakura gasped.

Right where Ed's automail met his shoulder to connect with his nerves, the flesh looked as though it was…growing back?

"W-What's going on with it?" Sakura asked.

"It must be this rain, and the water, and the river." Ed stated, "You know how it made that chimera come to life because of all the water around it? Well, I've been exposed to the water as well, and I'm pretty sure the water in the piping isn't as clean as they say it is."

He paused.

"So I'm sure that must have something to do with this…"

(Here comes a crazy part you guys. –Author)

"Because of his water…my…limbs might actually be growing back on there own."

Sakura gasped again.

"So, this water, is….the philosopher's stone, isn't it?!"

"Something like that." Ed said, still examining his arm.

Sakura looked into the bathroom mirror, astonished.

"Here." Ed said, while handing Sakura shoes he modified with Alchemy, "These should help protect your feet from the water."

Sakura nodded as thanks as she put the shoes on.

Three days had passed since Al was last seen, yet Ed and Sakura did not give up their search.

"He has to be out here somewhere." Said Ed as he clenched his aching shoulder; which had been slowly trying to grow over the automail.

"Maybe you should try to take the automail off." Sakura said looking at Ed worried.

"I can't really take off the connecters, because their directly connected to my nerves." Ed said flatly, he was trying to hold off some pain; and he did it well.

"We need to get out of this town." Sakura said looking up and the red, red, sky.

They walked along the cement banks for about and hour before Ed stopped again to hold his shoulder.

"I hope you'll be okay." Sakura said concerned.

"I'll be fine; our first priority is to find Al."

Sakura scanned the horizon.

She thought about the confession they had made to each other.

I love you.

I love you.

Oh, I love you, Al.

She had thought.

But now her heart was filled with worry, so so much worry.

She sighed hard and looked at the ground. Sakura kicked one foot.

When she looked up again, something caught her eye.

"A-Al!?" She said loudly as she pointed towards what looked to be Al's armor lying on the ground.

Ed looked up quickly towards where Sakura was pointing.

They ran over and it was, Al.

He was lying there, un-moving.

Something was wrong.

"You don't think…his blood seal washed off do you?" Sakura said looking at Ed with tears almost welling up.

"N-No…"

Ed bent over to touch Al's armor.

Something made a slight banging noise inside.

Author's Notes

No, no Al is not dead. That would be too sad! But yes, the concept of this town is sooo crazy I know! Remember this was based off a dream! But basically there were so many lives and alchemic stuff dumped into this river that it kind of just became like a Philosopher's stone! It kind of makes things grown and come to life and all that.

It's a fan-fiction you know? So it doesn't have to be all that well rounded.

It works well, and that's all that really matters I'm thinking.

Also, hope you're enjoying it. Thanks much for reading, like always.

P.S. Check out /FULLMETALHEART/ for my Fan Collection from everything to fan-art to fics to mini comics! It's full of fun stuff!

Plus, there is a lot of AlxSakura, so if you like this pairing, and what to see some cool drawings and doujins on it, check it out!


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